VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (voinews): The Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is targeting to help 24 million micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) enter the digital ecosystem by the end of 2023.

"As of December 2022, there have been 20.76 million MSMEs that have been 'onboarded' to digital (ecosystem), and in 2023, it is targeted 24 million MSMEs will enter the digital ecosystem," Cooperatives and SMEs Minister Teten Masduki informed.

He conveyed the information in his written opening remarks, which were read by the ministry's deputy for entrepreneurship, Siti Azizah, at the Purworejo Expo 2023 here on Wednesday.

"Of course, it must be accompanied by an improvement in MSMEs' capacity to carry out businesses digitally," Masduki added.

According to the minister, MSMEs contribute 61 percent to Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) and absorb 97 percent of the workforce. They also account for 16.65 percent of non-oil and gas exports.

MSMEs have a very strategic position and role in Indonesia's economy, he said. Currently, the number of MSMEs in the country has crossed 64 million.

Masduki further said that support continues to be given to MSMEs. The policy direction to increase economic added value in the 2020–2024 period includes the strengthening of entrepreneurship, MSMEs, and cooperatives, he expounded.

The transformation of cooperatives, MSMEs, and entrepreneurship covers the conversion of informal to formal businesses, digital transformation, technology utilization, market expansion, and the shift to a supply chain system.

It also includes the transformation of productive entrepreneurial growth and the modernization of cooperatives.

"One of the goals of the Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry, like the theme of today's event, is the expansion of market and product promotion," he said.

To this end, to support market access for MSMEs, several national programs have been launched, one of which is the digital transformation of cooperatives and MSMEs by helping them enter the digital ecosystem. That way, MSMEs can expand their market without being limited by location.

Through the written statement, Masduki expressed appreciation and gratitude for the Purworejo district government that held the expo to celebrate the 192nd anniversary of the district. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) is taking anticipatory measures to handle the potential for drought in several provinces this year.

"This year, we will prepare to handle drought by drilling 37 (water) points in 19 provinces that are predicted to experience drought. We will start the work in March," the ministry's director general of water resources Jarot Widyoko informed at a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He said that his office will coordinate with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) regarding the matter.

“We inventory our drill tools around 26 units," Widyoko added.

He said that his ministry is also ready to ensure the utilization of the storage volume in dams.

In addition, the PUPR Ministry is also ready to carry out operations and maintenance activities, as well as the rehabilitation of existing wells, he informed.

Earlier, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecast low-intensity rainfall in several parts of Indonesia in the coming months.

In view of this, sectors related to water intake such as water resources, forestry, agriculture, and disaster, must take anticipatory steps to minimize the potential impact of drought as a consequence of low rainfall conditions, Widyoko added.

He noted that after experiencing La Nina conditions for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, which resulted in a wet climate in the past three years, the latest monitoring of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean has shown that the intensity of La Nina has continued to weaken, with the index reaching -0.61 in early February 2023.

It has been predicted that La Nina conditions will continue to weaken and shift toward neutral conditions in February–March 2023. The neutral conditions are expected to continue until mid-2023, he added.

These conditions can cause the dry season in 2023 to be drier than in the past three years. Thus, there is greater potential for areas experiencing rainfall of less than 100 mm per month, Widyoko informed. (Antaranews)

The World Water Council has praised the Indonesian government for its efforts to construct dams on a massive scale to address water resource management problems as well as help realize food and energy security.

During a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Presidential Palace here on Wednesday, World Water Council president Loïc Fauchon praised Indonesia and described it as a leading country in dam construction.

"Earlier, when I spoke with President Jokowi, I said that Indonesia is a world champion in dam construction,” he remarked.

Dams are urgently needed to reserve water because the need for resources will increase amid growing demographics and increasing climate change, Fauchon added.

After accompanying President Widodo in receiving a delegation from the council, Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said that the council also strongly supports Indonesia as the host of the 2024 World Water Forum (WWF)

"They (the council) really support and appreciate Indonesia as the host (of the WWF). (This means that) Indonesia has become (a global) leader not only in politics (through the 2022 G20), but also in water resources issues," he added.

During the meeting, Widodo emphasized that water issues have become a global problem faced by many countries, since water is one of the main sources for realizing food security, he continued.

"Water can generate energy and (help cultivate) food. Thus, certainly, water is a fundamental (resource). That is why Indonesia has built 61 dams, and this attempt has been very much appreciated by the World Water Council," the PUPR minister noted.

Hence, food security will be one of the six main topics that will be discussed at the 2024 WWF, he informed.

Currently, the kick-off meeting for preparations for the WWF is being held from February 15 to 16, 2023, at Jakarta Convention Center (JCC).

Hadimuljono is targeting to attract one thousand participants to the meeting.

The 10th World Water Forum will be held from May 18–24, 2024, and will be themed “Water for Shared Prosperity. (Antaranews)

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr summoned China's ambassador on Tuesday to express his "serious concern" over China's actions in the South China Sea and the foreign ministry called on Beijing to stop its vessels' "aggressive activities".

The Philippine coastguard said on Monday a Chinese coastguard ship had directed a "military-grade laser" at one of its ships supporting a resupply mission to troops in the disputed waterway on Feb. 6, temporarily blinding its crew on the bridge.

The incident, which followed Marcos' state visit to China last month, has stoked long-running diplomatic tension between the Philippines and China over the latter's expansive claims in the South China Sea, which an international tribunal in The Hague invalidated in 2016.

Marcos relayed his concern "over the increasing frequency and intensity of actions by China against the Philippine Coast Guard and our Filipino fishermen", including its use of "military grade laser" against one of Manila's vessels, his office said in a statement.

"These acts of aggression by China are disturbing and disappointing," Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Teresita Daza said in a statement announcing the filing of the diplomatic protest, among the hundreds Manila has lodged against China.

In response, Ambassador Huang Xilian said he discussed with Marcos how to implement the consensus reached by the two countries on managing maritime differences during the Philippine leader's China visit.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, and the waters have become one of many flashpoints in the testy relationship between it and the United States - as well as a source of tension between it and some Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines.

The sea is rich in oil, gas and fish. About $3 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through it annually.

The United States, which supports the 2016 arbitration ruling, said on Monday it stood with the Philippines over the reported laser use.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko also expressed serious concerns about "dangerous behaviour" against Philippine vessels.

"All states should respect maritime order based on international law," Koshikawa said. "We firmly oppose any action that increase tensions"

The Philippine coastguard was supporting a navy mission to deliver food and supplies to troops on the Second Thomas Shoal, 105 nautical miles (195 km) off the Philippine province of Palawan, in the South China Sea.

Locally known as Ayungin, the shoal is home to a small Philippine military contingent on board a World War Two ship which was intentionally grounded on the shoal in 1999 to reinforce Manila's sovereignty claims in the Spratly archipelago. (Reuters)